# Always Matt: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard - Hardcover

by **Lesl饌 Newman** (Author), **Brian Britigan** (Illustrator), **Jason Collins** (Foreword by)

**A poignant tribute to the life of Matthew Shepard and his legacy in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, honoring the formation of the Matthew Shepard Foundation,** **which dedicates its mission to erasing hate**

On the night of October 6, 1998, in Laramie, Wyoming, Matthew Wayne Shepard (1976-1998) was brutally killed solely because he was gay. It was a shocking murder that was nationally covered in the media, and it became a rallying cry for the LGBTQ+ rights movement. In 2009, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed by President Barack Obama, expanding the federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

With a foreword by Jason Collins--the first openly gay active player in the NBA--and written by Lesl饌 Newman--author of the Stonewall Honor-winning novel-in-verse _October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard_ and a friend of the Shepard family--_Always Matt_ is an emotional yet ultimately hopeful look at the progress that's been made, as well as the work that still continues, in advocating for the dignity and equality of all people.

Without shying away from the pain and tragedy of his death, Newman's moving, lyrical prose and Brian Britigan's simple color line drawings present a celebration of his incredible life. Matthew's story still resonates for those who lived through it, and remains a vital piece of LGBTQ+ history for younger generations to learn.

### Author Biography

**Jason Collins** is a former professional basketball player who was a center for 13 seasons and also the first openly gay active player in the NBA. Born in Northridge, California, he played college basketball for Stanford, where he was an All-American in 2000-01. With the Brooklyn Nets, he made history in 2014 when he became the first openly gay athlete to play in a game in the United States' four major professional leagues. In 2014, Collins was featured on the cover of _Time Magazine_'s "100 Most Influential People in the World" issue. He lives in Los Angeles.  
**Lesl饌 Newman** is the author of 80 books for readers of all ages, including the novel-in-verse _October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard_; the short story collection _A Letter to Harvey Milk_; the dual memoir-in-verse _I Carry My Mother_ and _I Wish My Father_; the picture books _Sparkle Boy_ and _The Boy Who Cried Fabulous_; and the children's classic _Heather Has Two Mommies_. Her honors and literary awards include the Matthew Shepard Foundation Making a Difference Award, a National Endowment for the Arts poetry fellowship, two American Library Association Stonewall Honors, two National Jewish Book Awards, the Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award, and the Massachusetts Book Award. From 2008-10, she served as the poet laureate of Northampton, Massachusetts. Seven of her poems from _October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard_ are included in the libretto of _Considering Matthew Shepard_, a fusion oratorio composed by Craig Hella Johnson. Newman lives in Holyoke, Massachusetts.  
Born and raised in Iowa City, Iowa, **Brian Britigan** studied art and animation at the University of Washington in Seattle before earning an MFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. His illustrations have appeared in print and online publications, such as the _New York Times_, the _Star Tribune_, and the _Progressive_, and he has created animations for documentary projects, including the Emmy-nominated _The Office of Missing Children_. Britigan is an instructor and mentor at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He and his partner live in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

**Number of Pages:** 104

**Dimensions:** 0.71 x 8.19 x 6.22 IN

**Publication Date:** September 26, 2023

## Details

- **Price:** 22.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 22.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Always Matt: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard - Hardcover

---

> Source: [Smart supply deals](https://smartsupplydeals.com/products/always-matt-a-tribute-to-matthew-shepard-hardcover)
> Updated: 2026-07-21